St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-30
EXTR e MIES MEET.
A Minneapolis Man who Thin X
Christians Should Follow Christ.

To the Editor of the Globe.
AT a recent popular gathering, after T. V.
Powderly had spoken, another speaker, name
not given, declared as the result of his stud
les of the New Testament, that if the teach
ings of Christ wee followed there would not
be pauper in the land. This sentiment was
applauded to the echo, and every time a word
was said in commentator of the teachings of
Jesus, the applause was repeated. The New
i ork Independent, mentioning and comment
ing on this fact, contrasted it with the dismal
fact that at the same meeting, the conden-
nation of the church by the same speaker
brought forth Kisses and cheers-the former
for the church and the latter for the scathing
words Of the speaker. The independent rec
ommends the church to study the subject
thus suggested.
1T is fact on the other hand, that should
be mentioned i'll this connection, that large
numbers of our leading Christians agree with
the sentiments thus expressed by the laboriug
masses. In the Christian Union of Jan. 20,
writer reviews the three addresses ON 80
ciulism, recently delivered by Rev. Wash
lngton GLADDEN., and agrees with him as re-
garding the present business system, by
which. according to all writer's, the masses
are deprived of their fair share OF the earn
ingS Of their own hands and brains, as en-
tirely anti-Chrstian and inhuman. This is
fast becoming the ruling sentiment among
the higher class of religious thinkers, and
1t is rapidly permeating the churches The
lord bishop of Carlisle, in his address before
the great English cooperative congress talks
strong against comp petition, contending that
is the parent Of the Darwinian idea that the
weakest ought to perish; and, on the con-
trary, asserting that cooperation is Christian
in principle and practice. l could name
scores, if not hundreds, of divines that thus
testify against the Internal inhumanity of
the competitive system. These men have
united TO form an economic association for
the study of social science, and we cannot
but hope great things from them. At any
rate it is significant fact that the church
should be Kissed, while the name of Christ
begets enthusiasm in assemblies of working
men. The members of our churches should
begin to inquire into the cause of this rather
new theory. Is the church so free from
blame that it can afford TO disregard this in
dication of popular dislike and to sit content
on soft cushions of ease and luxury? My
belief is that conscience will soon begin to
agoniZe the hitherto dead and selfish souls
who content themselves with donations TO
churches and charitable societies, while al
lowing the curse of pauperism to increase
much faster than population. Let the Chris
tian world repudiate the doctrine of Every
man for himself as the proper oasis for all
business, and adopt the word of Christ, Love
your neighbor as yourself" then two things
will follow:
l. Social reconstruction, in which there
will be introduced environments in harmony
with the highest ideals of Christian concep-
ton.
>. Cordial support of the church by the
masses-that is, applause and love instead of
Kisses and hate. HOPEFUL
Minneapolis, Jan. 2S.